On Sorting Through Global Detritus and Discovering Former Earths

Boulder, CO, USA – More than 200 years ago, James Hutton gave birth to the field of sedimentary provenance when he theorized that the earth on which we live was made up of materials from "former earths." Hutton, generally regarded as one of the founders of the science of geology, would be happy to know that the field of sedimentary provenance is still thriving.

Sedimentary Provenance and Petrogenesis: Perspectives from Petrography and Geochemistry, a new volume published by the Geological Society of America, contains a wide variety of studies illuminating Earth's past - and present - through analysis of sedimentary remains of these "former earths."

"Through this type of research we learn about ancient landscapes, now forever erased by erosion," said co-editor Mark J. Johnsson of the California Coastal Commission in San Francisco. "At the same time we also learn a lot about the processes of weathering, erosion, and transport, deposition, and burial of sediments."

According to Johnsson, the book has a "distinctly European flavor," with many papers focused on Italy, the Iberian peninsula, and Transdanubia regions. Others document field studies in India, New Zealand, and México.

Lead editor of the volume is José Arribas of the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain. Second co-editor is Salvatore Critelli of the UniversitÓ degli Studi della Calabria in Italy.

Individual copies may be purchased through the GSA online store or by contacting GSA Sales and Service, .

Book editors of earth science journals/publications may request a review copy by contacting Jeanette Hammann at .